Contrary to popular belief, the sex industry cannot be classified as a single job. While it is often viewed as one community, it is made up of various job roles that industry players engage in.
The main difference comes in when the term prostitute is used by the society as an all-embracing label for virtually anyone in the sex industry offering direct contact sexual services, and escorting is a good example. The truth is that these trades are incomparable.
It is also quite common to find the trafficked victims being called prostitutes. There is a big difference between the sex trafficked victims and the sex workers who engage in the trade consensually. The consensual bit of sex work is what we shall cover.
Main difference between an escort and a prostitute
To fully understand and appreciate the fundamental difference between an escort and a prostitute, it is important that you leave out the assumptions you have previously had about these two distinct professions. Remember, you are essentially paying for the time you spend with her as opposed to the sex acts.
Having worked in a brothel also as an escort, I will provide clarification on the differences. Society would refer to me as a prostitute for offering sex services for either of the jobs aforementioned. However, you can tell that Escort work and brothel work are completely dissimilar.
Working in a Brothel – The main focus is on sexual acts conducted in total privacy
1. Men who want sex will come to the brothel. Some may also come in to relax then proceed to go elsewhere.
2. Very minimal engagement often occurs unless the client makes a request.
3. If the client wants sex, then the time factor becomes a standard expectation.
4. Just like street based sex work, working in a brothel has stronger or similar focus on time constraints and expectations.
Providing services as an escort
1. Men hiring escorts will often want company for dinner dates, events, night outs, outings, or even a weekend out of town.
2. Since escorts are independent workers, they have the liberty of tailoring companionship services based on the needs and desires of their clients.
3. In terms of companionship expectation, the time factor is completely different, whether they both engage in sex or not.
What is an escort?
A man or woman who offers companionship to other individuals in exchange for cash is referred to as an escort. Note that escorts are generally smart, fun, and interesting individuals who provide great company and understand how best to conduct themselves in diverse environments.
A client may book an escort to accompany him or her to a wedding, corporate event, movie, a hotel or home. While escorts charge for their time by the hours, they can spend several days or even weeks with any client who offers payment for the services. It is legal and highly profitable to render services as an escort.
What is a prostitute?
Unlike an escort who offers companionship and other related services, a prostitute strictly offers sexual acts for money.
Prostitutes are popularly referred to as whores, hookers, sex workers, or streetwalkers, and a vast majority of them will charge their clients for the sex and not per hour. Prostitution is a term popularly used to dehumanize the individuals offering their services in the industry.
Due to the constant bullying that they receive from society, sex workers have chosen to own the name. Prostitution is a word nowadays used interchangeably with sex trafficking and is widely used to refer to the forced sexual abuse.
When you call someone a prostitute, he or she would see it as an insult. The term is greatly dehumanizing. The word prostitute almost sounds like a swear word, especially if you consider how society uses it and how it sounds. In instances where a sex worker is murdered, the headlines would read ‘Dead Prostitute’.
What is a sex worker?
Sex work is a term that was first coined by Charles LeRoq to make a distinction between an individual from the occupation. By calling it sex work, society must recognize that engaging in this kind of work makes it a trade or profession.
Calling the trade using its rightful name is more necessary now more than ever due to the violation of sex workers’ rights when they are trafficked. The abuse is so bad that Amnesty pushing for its decriminalization worldwide.
Sex work is a term commonly used to refer to the individuals who join the industry willingly, meaning they have not been forced or coerced. It is worth noting that trafficked victims who are often called prostitutes are not categorized as sex workers. Sex workers handle the activities involved consensually. So, these important points must not be confused.
Anyone engaging in sex work would love to be described as a sex worker. This emphasizes the fact that they engage in it purely as an occupation. Calling it sex work additionally, separates the profession from the person.
Therefore, when you call them sex workers, you essentially recognize that they have many varied facets and as such, are not defined by the job they do.
There you have it, folks!
Most people will often confuse these terms, while others use them wrongly or to dehumanize the people who engage in the trade as a profession. The three terms must not be used interchangeably, as they are uniquely different. I hope you now get the differences from the descriptions.
Misty says
Finally it all makes sense now!
Harsh says
To be frank…..i understood difference between Escort and prostitute but not between prostitute and sex worker